MORGANTOWN - The other day, after West Virginia's basketball game in Charleston, I wrote the Mountaineers' mostly punchless non-conference schedule is somewhat understandable because of the team's five new faces.
After the game, however, I heard complaints about WVU's opponent, Western Carolina, which was thrashed 90-37.
"I paid good money to watch that?" said one Mountaineer fan.
A crowd of 8,384 paid to watch that game. On Saturday, a crowd of 9,023 paid to watch the Mountaineers wax VMI 90-55 at the WVU Coliseum. The team was ranked No. 347 of 350 teams in the Ratings Percentage Index released before Saturday games.
Now, watching such beatdowns might be fun for some fans. The schedule might be understandable to some degree.
Yet, um, it's getting old. As in real. As in real fast.
Even the players are bored. WVU missed free throw after free throw on Saturday against the Keydets, now 1-7. The vaunted press was just OK. There were 12 Mountaineer turnovers. And West Virginia, which entered Saturday's game averaging just 18.5 fouls committed, had 20 against VMI.
"I didn't think we came out with much focus," said WVU coach Bob Huggins. "I thought we were just going through the motions."
No wonder.
"I've been around," said Mountaineer senior Brandon Watkins. "I see when people think we're going to win. I'm not going to lie. I tried to bring energy."
He did. In the first half, Watkins was out there blocking Garrett Gilkeson. He was there with a follow-up dunk. Beetle Bolden was likewise a spark. He and Dax Miles, who finished with 20 points.
Yet at one point WVU's players were so distracted and/or bored, they didn't move off the blocks on the front end of a one-and-one rebound situation because they thought it was a two-shot foul. VMI ran over and collected the rebound.
"It's tough," said guard Teyvon Myers of playing outmanned teams. "It's just something we have to learn from. We looked terrible but we're a great team. We came together. If we could grind one out in this situation, maybe we can down the road."
Wouldn't a tougher challenge be more enjoyable?
"I mean, yeah," Myers said. "But every 'W' counts. Also, Coach Hugs isn't about the other team. He's worried about us."
Sometimes something can be learned from games like that of Saturday.
"They had some different things for our press," Watkins said. "They tried to spread us out. We want to keep it compressed."
When you learn something, though, you want to use it for good, right? Well, West Virginia next plays the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The Kangaroos (yes, the Kangaroos) are 6-4 and play in the WAC. They were recently nudged by Kansas 105-62. They were ranked No. 155 in the RPI before Saturday.
After that? West Virginia hosts No. 251 Radford.
After that? Try No. 167 Northern Kentucky on for size.
That's on the heels of playing such teams as No. 132 Mount St. Mary's, No. 272 Mississippi Valley State, No. 110 New Hampshire, No. 280 Manhattan and that No. 161 Catamount team in Charleston.
WVU was ranked No. 51 in the RPI before Saturday and its schedule strength was No. 155. Heck, keeping Marshall on the schedule even would have helped. The Thundering Herd was at least No. 104.
What's keeping the Mountaineers afloat in the RPI, of course, is the win at Virginia. That was huge in regard to national respect, especially in the eyes of poll voters. The Cavaliers' RPI, though, was only No. 24 before Saturday. Illinois was No. 98. Temple, which beat West Virginia, was No. 41.
Honestly, I think Huggins and his staff and the schedule-makers underestimated this Mountaineer team. It could have handled a tougher load. Plus, the newcomers haven't been given huge roles.
Certainly, the fans I talk to would like to see better teams. And, as we saw on Saturday, the players seem bored.
I will, though, give Miles the last couple of words. He was asked Saturday how the team keeps its edge against these teams.
"If guys want it bad enough," he shrugged, "they go after it."
And what about when the row of cupcakes goes stale?
"We can't overlook any teams," he said. "We learned that last year."
Indeed, there was that Stephen F. Austin thing ...
Contact Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvingle@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MitchVingle.